Pelargonium plant named ‘PEQZ0044’

ABSTRACT

A new  Pelargonium  plant named ‘PEQZ0044” particularly distinguished by the hot rose colored inflorescences held above the medium-green foliage, very heat and drought tolerant with continuous color through the most extreme summer heat, and exceptional edema tolerance on a well-branched plant habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Pelargonium interspecific.

Varietal denomination: ‘PEQZ0044’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Pelargonium, botanically known as Pelargonium interspecific, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘PEQZ0044’.

‘PEQZ0044’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘PEQZ0044’ has hot rose colored inflorescences held above the medium-green foliage, very heat and drought tolerant with continuous color through the most extreme summer heat, and exceptional edema tolerance on a well-branched plant habit.

‘PEQZ0044’ originates from a hybridization in a controlled breeding program made in September 2012, in a greenhouse in Guatemala. The female parent was an unpatented, proprietary plant of P. interspecific parentage, identified as ‘10521-1’ with lighter rose color florets.

The male parent of ‘PEQZ0044’ was an unpatented, proprietary plant of P. interspecific parentage, identified as ‘10520-1’ with more blue-rose colored florets and a more open plant habit when compared to ‘PEQZ0044’. The resultant seed was sown in August 2007.

‘PEQZ0044’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in March 2014 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘PEQZ0044’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in the spring 2014 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in May 2014 in Gilroy, Calif., and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘PEQZ0044’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘PEQZ0044’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

‘PEQZ0044’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Pelargonium as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘PEQZ0044’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type.

The photographic drawings show in FIG. 1, a single plant with approximately 2-3 inflorescence stalks and

in FIG. 2, a close-up of a single flower.

The plant descriptions, measurements, and photo were taken in Gilroy, Calif. in December 2017 under natural light. These plants were approximately 10 weeks old and were grown in a 4.5 inch pots, in a greenhouse trial.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2015.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘PEQZ0044’ AND A MOST SIMILAR VARIETY ‘PEQZ0003’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. ‘PEQZ0044’ 24,736) Floret petal color: Intense Pink Bright red-purple Leaf color: Dark green Medium-green Plant height: 13-14.0 cm 16-18.0 cm

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and             rounded growth habit, heat and drought tolerant with             continuous color through the most extreme summer heat, edema             tolerance, well-branched plant habit.         -   Plant height.—13-14.0 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—23-26.0 cm.         -   Plant width.—24-28.0 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—15-18 days at about 22°             degrees C.         -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—21-23 days at             22° degrees C.         -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.         -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter. -   Foliage:     -   -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 137B             deepening to RHS 187A.

    -   Immature leaf, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 137D.         -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 137A with             RHS 139A zoning.         -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—Closest to RHS 137C.         -   Length.—7-9.0 cm.         -   Width.—9-10.0 cm.         -   Shape.—Cordate.         -   Base shape.—Cordate.         -   Apex shape.—Truncate to emarginate.         -   Margin.—Dentate to ciliate.         -   Texture upper side.—Hirsute.         -   Texture lower side.—Hirsute.         -   Leaf zonation color.—RHS 139A.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 137C.         -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 137C.         -   Pattern of veining.—Palmate.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 137C.         -   Petiole length.—4.9-5.2 cm.         -   Diameter of petiole.—0.2-0.3 cm.         -   Texture.—Pilose, hirsute, glandular hairs. -   Stem:     -   -   Quantity of branches.—3-4.         -   Color of stem.—RHS 144A.         -   Length of stem.—9-10.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.5-0.8 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—2-3.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Sparsely hirsute, pilose, glandular hairs. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 137C.         -   Length of peduncle.—12-17.0 cm.         -   Peduncle diameter.—0.3-0.4 cm.         -   Texture.—Hirsute, glandular hairs. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Color of pedicel.—RHS 137D.         -   Length of pedicel.—2.6-3.0 cm.         -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.15-0.2 cm.         -   Texture.—Sparsely pilose, glandular hiars. -   Bud (just before opening):     -   -   Color.—RHS 53C.         -   Length.—1.8-2.0 cm.         -   Width.—1-1.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Umbel.         -   Lastingness of individual flowers.—7-9 days at 18° C.             temperature.         -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—4, with 2 immature             umbels and 2 mature.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Umbel diameter.—7-9.0 cm.         -   Umbel depth.—7-9.0 cm. -   Corolla:     -   -   Form.—Semi-double.         -   Number of petals.—9-10.         -   Diameter of flower.—5-5.5 cm.         -   Depth of flower.—2-2.5 cm.         -   Color upper petals, upper surface.—Closest to RHS N66A with             RHS N57B veining.         -   Color upper petals, lower surface.—Closest to RHS NN155D.         -   Length of upper petals.—3.0-3.1 cm.         -   Width of upper petals.—2.5-2.6 cm.         -   Color lower petals, upper surface.—Closest to RHS N66A.         -   Color lower petals, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 73A.         -   Length of lower petals.—2.8-2.9 cm.         -   Width of lower petals.—2.5-2.7 cm.         -   Petal shape.—Obovate to orbicular.         -   Apex shape.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Petal texture.—Papillose on both surfaces. -   Calyx:     -   -   Number of sepals.—5.         -   Color of sepals.—RHS 144A.         -   Length of sepals.—1.2-1.4 cm.         -   Width of sepals.—0.3-0.4 cm.         -   Sepal shape.—Lanceolate to linear.         -   Apex shape.—Acute to apiculate.         -   Margins.—Mostly fused.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous.         -   Lower surface.—Glandular hairs, hirsute. -   Reproductive organs: -   Gynoecium:     -   -   Pistil.—1.         -   Length.—0.8-0.9 cm.         -   Style color.—Closest to RHS 53C.         -   Style length.—0.4 cm.         -   Stigma color.—Closest to RHS 53A.         -   Ovary color.—RHS 144A.         -   Ovary length.—0.3-0.4 cm.         -   Ovary diameter.—0.2 cm. -   Androecium:     -   -   Number of stamens.—6.         -   Color of filaments.—RHS 58A with RHS N155D basally.         -   Length filaments.—0.8-1.0 cm.         -   Anther color.—RHS 58A.         -   Length of anthers.—0.2 cm.         -   Color of pollen.—RHS N25A.         -   Pollen amount.—Normal.         -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been determined to date.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been determined to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Pelargonium plant named ‘PEQZ0044’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 